This morning, His Holiness Pope Tawadros II prayed the monastic rites for seven novices at the Convent of St. George the Martyr in Haret Zuweila and Sidi Kreir. The prayers were held at the Convent of St. George the Martyr in Sidi Kreir, where the seven new nuns joined the monastic community of the Convent.
The new nuns are:
Nun Apollonia
Nun Apivieh
Nun Agia
Nun Abigail
Nun Agnes
Nun Axani
Nun Eudokia
Five bishops participated in the prayers, along with Fr. Abraam Emil, Patriarchal Vicar General in Alexandria, and a number of priests.
Mother Athanasia, Abbess of the Convent, also participated in the prayers, together with the abbesses of other convents and the monastic community of nuns of the Convent.
In his homily during the Divine Liturgy, His Holiness Pope Tawadros II expressed his joy at the growth of monastic life in the Convent and at the addition of seven new nuns to its community. His Holiness drew attention to the repeated phrase “for My name’s sake” in the Gospel reading of the Divine Liturgy.
Reflecting on the name of Christ, His Holiness explained that for the nuns, the name of Christ means their entire life. Christ is the center of monastic life in all the Convent’s work, prayers, and praises. The source of joy and gladness is the Bridegroom of the soul, Christ Himself. Therefore, in the Gospel reading of the rite for the consecration of nuns, the Church reads the passage about the virgins who were waiting to hear the voice of the Bridegroom.
Referring to the final verse of today’s Gospel reading, “By your patience possess your souls” (Luke 21:19), His Holiness noted that through patience, a nun lives her monastic life, and through patience, she becomes a saint. He illustrated this with the words of the Book of Revelation: “Here is the patience of the saints; here are those who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus” (Revelation 14:12).
Following the Divine Liturgy, His Holiness inspected the new construction works at the Convent and held a meeting with the monastic community of nuns, during which he delivered a spiritual reflection on the beauty of monastic life.
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